This month, stargazers will spot six planets after sunset—Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and the distant Uranus and Neptune via telescopes. Then, next week, Mercury joins them for a rare seven-planet lineup across the night sky. While technically aligned along our solar system’s ecliptic plane, this event is special because all planets appear close together in our sky.
The alignment isn’t literal; it’s more about perspective than actual planetary positioning. For now, six planets are visible after dark: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn can be seen with the naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune require tools like telescopes or binoculars.
This rare event highlights how planets orbit the sun in nearly the same flat plane—despite moving at different speeds—and align by chance on our side of the solar system. Even if it’s a coincidence, stargazers can catch this moment for a brief window each week.
For best viewing, use a sky map app or observe when Saturn is in the west, Mars in the east, Jupiter overhead, and Uranus and Neptune between them. While not visible to the naked eye, these distant planets add to the beauty of our night skies.
Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-to-see-six-planets-lined-up-in-the-night-sky-this-month-and-glimpse-a-rare-seven-planet-parade-in-february-180985893